Celebrity Style
December 11, 2018
How To Decorate Like Joanna Gaines
Joanna Gaines’ laid-back, southern decor style is beloved across the world. From the homes she’s flipped with her husband Chip in HGTV’s Fixer Upper to their beautiful shop Magnolia Market, she leaves no shortage of decorating inspiration. Here are 25 easy ways to bring her style into your own space thanks to tips collected from her blog, At Home.
Turn the often overlooked into a design statement. “Because the staircase is a prominent feature, I really wanted to find a way to make it a design element of the home.”
Create an impactful entryway — even in a small space. “You typically might not think of an apartment as needing an entryway, but I felt this was a good opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the home. Our cabinet maker, Marvin, installed this white oak wall treatment and it gave the space added texture while pairing beautifully with the new stucco fireplace.”
Blend traditional and modern styles. “The cabinets have a very traditional style to them, and the painted lower cabinets tie in the more modern element. We chose to paint the upper cabinetry white to keep the boldness of the blue from overpowering the kitchen. The finished product is a good balance of both traditional and modern.”
Mix old and new styles to create a dynamic table setting. “I’m a big believer in blending styles in general — especially when it comes to setting the table. Layering contrasting looks like rustic chargers with modern plates, antique flatware and vintage-inspired glassware, gives the table some character and makes for an interesting overall aesthetic.”
Think dual functionality when designing a room. “This family has two grown children, and they appreciate having family game nights together, so having a designated room for that was a priority. However, they also wanted a space that could easily serve as a guest room. Our solution…was to incorporate a murphy bed.”
Don’t go overboard with color. “I wanted to make sure that displaying so many of the family’s fun finds didn’t make the room feel cluttered. To achieve this, I stuck with white walls and a mix of both light colored and leather furniture for a neutral base. I wanted to bring in color and a more specific style, so I chose this large, antique red rug as a way to bring in a rich, bold story that I felt completed the room.”
Keep a large room feeling cozy by creating vignettes. “A vignette is just a small space within a larger one that makes the room feel more personal. This particular vignette fills empty space while also setting up the room to be multi-functional.”
Give classic tile an upgrade with pattern. “This tile has a longer shape than classic subway tile, but it still gives the same clean finish as the original. To add interest we installed it in a herringbone pattern behind the vent hood and then framed it on both sides with a traditional pattern.”
Add warmth to your ceiling with wood. “We wanted to add warmth to the high contrast of the black and white color palette [in this home], and since the ceilings are tall and there’s so much natural light, I decided to expose the shiplap on the ceiling.
Think outside the traditional kitchen island box. “You don’t always have to go with the large, custom-built [kitchen island] style. In fact, at times the large ones make a kitchen feel closed off and smaller than it really is. In this case, I used a refinished antique table as the island.”
Don’t be afraid to go with a bold backsplash. “If you’re wanting to try a patterned backsplash, but you’re a little nervous to venture outside of the traditional-style tile look, my advice is to use a subtle color palette and go with a timeless pattern.”
Be thoughtful about your statement design choices. “At the end of the day, it’s what you want in your home that makes it right, so if you’re drawn to bold features, I say go for it. A good rule of thumb, though, is to select one or two bold statements for the space so it can really be the highlight of the room.”
Layer in character with antique finds. “Rather than classic built-ins, I opted to use the antique doors I found at an antique fair to warm up the space and tie in the character Kristen loves.”
Define an open space with bold color. “To help define the kitchen area, we added this large island and painted it a pretty soft green color.”
Have fun with your design in a room made for chores. “I’ve learned that when you make your spaces creative and fun, it helps make the chores, like laundry, not so bad.”
Make a statement with your vent hood. “The raw wood vent hood warmed up the space and the clear glass pendant lights over the island brought a modern feel to the kitchen.”
Create an asymmetrical mantel display. “For a more laid-back, eclectic style, display an assorted arrangement of items in odd numbers and various sizes. Antique frames in a range of shapes, or even candlesticks, books, and a potted plant are the types of things I typically use.”
If you’ve got an empty corner, use a fiddle leaf fig. “You will find a fiddle leaf fig in most of the living spaces I design because I just love them so much. It fills in blank corners that are often tricky to decorate and adds some height and natural texture to the room.”
Mix and match tiles in bathroom for an eye-catching look. “The hexagon floor tile and subway tile laid in a basketweave pattern made this room feel unique and interesting.”
Paint your front door a bold color for some fun curb appeal. “It only took a couple of simple additions to really give this home a lot of curb appeal. We painted the exterior a dark, greyish blue…and painted the front door a bold mustard color.”
Use lots of varying texture to create a cozy feel.“So much in this space plays on texture — the wallpaper, the rug, the roman shades, and the bedding — and when it all comes together, it feels really cozy and calming.”
Use open shelving to divide one big room into two. “I love shelves like these because you have a clear line of sight to the other space, so the two areas can share natural light and the room still looks large.”
Use a floating staircase in a small space. “This is one of my favorite design features in the home, because not only did we save square footage, but we created a really interesting design element in the room.”
Place your furniture away from your windows. “I wanted to use these windows to our advantage and really draw your eye to them. We also pulled the furniture away from the walls so it wouldn’t block that view.”
Don’t forget about the story you are trying to tell. “The terracotta flooring in this room was actually salvaged from a chateau in France — it doesn’t get more storied than that. By incorporating these tiles, I was able to give this room the authentic French chateau style that goes perfectly with the design of the rest of the home.”